IDIDOT'S GUIDE TO OWNING AN ALLOTMENT. BOUNDARIES AND WINDBREAKS.

Oh well!  It might be driving us all mad but it's very pretty isn't it.  My garden pictured here on the left.  I live near the sea so we never get the huge amounts that some get.  I do remember though as child living in a remote area of Northumberland and my Dad was able to hang his coat on the top of a telegraph pole .... that is absolutely true.  Now that's a real snow fall.  The village I lived in had no food supplies for weeks and ahelicopter dropped food.  Our GP came to the village only if absolutely necessary on his skis!!!

So I would be very suprised to find you have been on your allotment today unless you have any type of live stock as we have - in the form of hens.  I have to day they're getting on scant and the absolute necessary attention at the moment but they do look very sweet when they have managed to jam themselves 4 to a box instead of one to keep warm.  How they don't suffocate themselves is a mystery.

While your passing the time you can get on with the task of planning your allotment using pen and paper or if your site is not new to you perhaps there are some 'jobs of improvement' you can be considering.  One of these is creating wind breaks. You may have to check your allotment rule book for this as some won't allow hedges.  Small bushes are usually ok and of course allotments are there to be productive so fruit trees are a must.

Check the height of anything you plant to ensure it won't be cating too much shade over your neighbours plot. Although allotments are essentially open places,  windbreaks are useful for poultry, fragile crops and you if you plan on spending time just relaxing. 

What to plant :- 
Fruit bushes such as  raspberries, gooseberries or currants.  These are obviously useful and be sited to provide a wind break and shade for plants which don't like too much sun.

Jerusalem Artichokes are perennial and look good too.

Hedges give a semblance of privacy and good shade and shelter but there will most likely be rules regarding hedges.  So check up first.

Apple and Pear Trees are great but be careful where you will put them so as not to cause bad feeling between yourself and you neighbours and remember they will need lots of water.

Low natural fencing such as woven willow can look really good.

So these are afew suggestions. I hope you come up with some of your own.

Idiots Guide to Owning an Allotment - Back to Basics

Natural Skin Care Recipes

Welcome back.

Well were now into December and  you should have some sort of plan in your mind now about where you want to situate veg plots, herb gardens, sheds, hen runs etc..

The days are becoming dark and dreary and now is the time to start looking at and nurturing the very thing that makes your plants grow well next year - the soil! So, While there is still a bit of time before the spring, and providing your soil has not become too sodden or hardened with frost. Dig out old plants, weeds and their roots. Turn your soil with a spade or fork working in as much manure or compost as you can. During the next few months the worms will draw this compost down replacing essential nutrients and improving the overall quality of the soil. If your allotment is new to you, try to spend some time re-organising and,                        
thus, maximising your growing space. Do essential                                          

fence repairs and general tidying up.                                                                          

More tips coming up in the next few days.                                              

Sandkat xx                                    

ORGANIC SKINCARE                                                                                     

Idiot's Guide to Owning an Allotment - Starting Off

Natural Skincare Recipes

Allotment Know-How
As a new allotment owner, one the first things you will realise is that you are always learning.  New techniques, new crops, new difficulties, changing weather - especially in this day of global warming. 
One of the best sources of help and sound advice is from your neighbours on the allotment.  They will know the soil type, best veg to use etc.  So be-friend them, it will certainly be to your advantage.

Assessing Your Allotment
Initially you will want to assess your site.  Has it been well cultivated already?  Has it been previously set out?  Of course, if it is veritable wilderness, your first job will be to clear it.  Whatever its condition, from the outset you need to decide what features you want to discard or keep. Take note of the direction of your plot as this will ultimately dictate where the best growth potential will be i.e. planting according to conditions of sunlight or shade.  Is it on high ground, is it on a slope?  How much sun does it get during the day? All these things are relevant to success or failure.  An important point is to check out what your neighbours are growing.  If their  plant are strong and successful , chances are yours will be too.

What Type of Soil Have you Got?
One of the  most important factors to note are the type of soil and climate. Is the soil heavy like sticky clay or is it light, sandy and free draining?  How fertile is it?  Most soil is in-between.  Is it acid alkaline or neutral?

Measuring the Ph of your Soil. 
For this you can purchase a testing kit from your nearest garden centre.  Test different areas of the plot.  Unless the soil is very acid or very alkaline the ph is not usually a problem as most fruit and veg are quite tolerant to most soil conditions.  Acid soils are low in calcium, add lime or lime-based compost such as mushroom to create a more alkaline environment.  Alkaline soils are high in calcium and are more tricky to deal with, to improve acidity add composted sawdust, pine bark, or pine needle leafmould.

Idiots Guided to Owning an Allotment

This is my new blog with the title "idiots guide to owning an allotment". Why do you have to be an idiot . . the simple answer is you don't! Nevertheless, as far as running an allotment is concerned, you may as well be. . . .otherwise you would not be reading this.
So then, I take it you know about as much as I did when I first started running my own allotment which, apart from growing a few Loopins and picking blackberries when I was a kid, was about the sum total of my knowledge and then all of a sudden I became the proud owner of a ramshackle allotment and one dozen hens complete with cockeral. My first reaction was. . HELP!
So, that is the purpose of my blog because having an allotment is infectious. You will want to immediately give up your stressful day job and spend all your time nurturing you hard work.
Therefore, if you are in danger of becoming an "allotaholic" then keep tuning in to this blog for a step by step guide to enjoying yourself and enjoying the fruits of your labours without too many problems.
See you soon
Sandkat xx